Vietnamese teen chess players close in on grandmaster milestone

Sixteen-year-old Huy won the national standard chess title, gaining 14.6 rating points to reach 2,450.6, just below the 2,500 threshold required for grandmaster status.

Huy, one of Vietnam’s youngest international masters, already has one grandmaster norm and needs two more along with additional rating points to qualify.

Fourteen-year-old runner-up Duy gained 9.2 points to reach the 2,500 rating mark in the upcoming FIDE rankings, though he still requires three grandmaster norms.

Another young player, Pham Tran Gia Phuc, has a rating of 2,445 and holds two norms, leaving him one short of the requirement.

To earn the grandmaster title, players must reach a rating of 2,500 and secure three norms in qualified international tournaments, as per FIDE rules.